Standards / Lifting Accessories
EN 818
Lifting Accessories
Current
Short Link Chain for Lifting
EN 818 is the multi-part European standard for short link chain used for lifting purposes, including the chain itself and the chain slings assembled from it. It sets out the grades of chain, the safety requirements for slings and their components, the information the manufacturer must supply, and the criteria by which a chain sling is taken out of service.
Scope
EN 818 applies to short link lifting chain and to the slings made from it, in single and multi-leg configurations, together with the master links, hooks and shortening devices that make up the assembly. Its parts cover chain grades, sling safety requirements, and the conditions for the safe use and examination of the finished assembly.
Exclusions & Related Standards
- Slings made from steel wire rope fall under EN 13414.
- Textile webbing slings and roundslings fall under EN 1492.
- Lifting beams, magnets, clamps and similar attachments fall under EN 13155.
- Chain used for load restraint on vehicles rather than for lifting is outside the scope.
Key Requirements & Marking
A chain sling must carry a durable identification tag stating the working load limit, the grade of chain, the number of legs, the nominal length, the manufacturer and a traceable identification. The grade matters because chain of the same nominal size has very different capacity at different grades, so a component of a lower grade fitted into an assembly reduces the rating of the whole sling to that of its weakest part.
Chain of the same size differs greatly in capacity between grades, so the grade on the tag governs the assembly.
Testing Overview
Assessment covers the mechanical properties of the chain including breaking force and elongation at fracture, manufacturing proof load applied to the chain and to the finished sling, the strength of master links, hooks and shortening components, and verification that the marking corresponds to the assembly as built.
Selection Guide
Choose chain where the load has sharp edges, hot surfaces or abrasive faces that would destroy textile, and where the sling has to survive rough handling. Chain is also the usual choice where legs need to be shortened to level an off-centre load, because purpose-made shortening devices allow it to be done without weakening the assembly. Confirm that every component in the assembly is of the same grade.
Inspection, Care and Maintenance
- Inspect every link before each use for stretch, nicks, gouges, cracks, twisting and wear at the link bearing points
- Check hooks for opening of the throat, for wear in the saddle, and for a working latch where one is fitted
- Withdraw the sling for any link that will not articulate freely, which indicates deformation or a seized joint
- Never shorten a chain sling by knotting it or by bolting a link back on itself; use the shortening device supplied for the assembly
- Withdraw the sling if the tag is missing, since the grade and rating can no longer be established
Stretch shows first as a link that will no longer articulate freely against its neighbours.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the grade of a chain sling matter so much?
Chain of the same nominal size has very different capacity at different grades. Fitting a component of a lower grade into an assembly reduces the rating of the entire sling to that of the weakest part, whatever the tag says.
How is stretch in a chain detected?
Stretched links become longer and narrower and stop articulating freely against their neighbours. A chain that has become stiff at a particular point is showing deformation, not dirt.
Can a chain sling be shortened to level a load?
Yes, using the shortening device supplied as part of the assembly. Knotting the chain or bolting a link back on itself introduces a bending load the chain was never designed for.
What does opening of a hook throat indicate?
That the hook has been overloaded. It is a withdrawal criterion, because the deformation shows the material has yielded and the hook can no longer be relied on at its rated load.
Is a chain sling better than a textile sling?
Neither is better in general. Chain survives sharp edges, heat and rough handling; textile protects finished surfaces and conforms to the shape of the load. The right choice follows the load and the environment.